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| Criterion |  Architecture Architecture Inception Canvas |  Architecture C4 Model |  Decision Making Constraint Analysis |  Architecture Software Architecture Canvas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | The Architecture Inception Canvas bundles the first architecture questions into a compact decision picture. It fits when an initiative is still in motion but still needs clear guardrails. | The C4 Model makes a system legible across several resolution levels, from context down to code. It suits situations where different audiences need to understand the same architecture from different altitudes. | When an initiative stalls, the limit often lies not in the idea but in hard or soft boundary conditions. Constraint Analysis separates these limits and shows which of them can actually be shaped. | The Software Architecture Canvas reduces a system to the most important architecture decisions, constraints, and interfaces. It is useful when teams need a resilient overall picture quickly. |
Complexitysame | Low | Low | Low | Low |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h | 1-4 h | 30-90 min | 1-2 h |
Participantsdifferent | 3-8 | 1-5 | 2-8 | 3-10 |
Formatdifferent | Workshop | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop |
Outputdifferent | Inception Canvas, Risks, Goal List, Open Questions | Context Diagram, Container Diagram, Component Diagram | Constraint List, Hard/Soft Classification, Option Impact Notes, Decision Boundaries | Architecture Canvas, Goals, Constraints, Quality Attributes |
Tagsno overlap | AlignmentArchitectureCanvas | ArchitectureCommunicationVisualization | ConstraintsDecisionPlanningOptions | CanvasArchitectureAlignmentWorkshop |